Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo

ROOKIE BRAXTON WHITESELL WINS $7,400 IN BRACKET 1 OF FORT WORTH’S PRORODEO TOURNAMENT

Published

3 days ago

January 24, 2026

Braxton Whitesell, a rookie from Walker, La., earned $7,400 as the only bull rider to record a score in round two of Bracket 1of the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo’s (FWSSR) ProRodeo Tournament. Whitesell, who earned a spot in the tournament on Thursday when he won the FWSSR Rookie Rally, scored 84.5 points on Rafter G Rodeo’s Peaky Blinders. FWSSR photo by James Phifer

FORT WORTH, Texas (Jan. 24, 2026) Bull rider Braxton Whitesell rode his way into the $1.6 million the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo (FWSSR) ProRodeo Tournament by winning the FWSSR Rookie Rally on Thursday, January 22. He earned a spot in Bracket 1 of the tournament and despite hitting the ground early in round one he is headed to the Semi-Finals on February 5-6.

He earned that Semi-Finals berth as the only bull rider to make a qualified ride in round two on Saturday, scoring 84.5 points on Rafter G Rodeo’s Peaky Blinders to win $7,400. The Walker, Louisiana bull rider has earned more than $12,000 in Dickies Arena in the past three days and has a chance to win even more.

Barrel racing fan favorite Emily Beisel of Weatherford, Oklahoma, swept both rounds of Bracket 1, riding two different horses. She rode to victory in round one on the 15-year-old gray gelding formally named Namgis D 33, but better known as Chongo. In round two she decided the 9-year-old brown mare Ivory on Fire, known as Liza, was ready to come back from an abscess. The duo won the round in 16.39 seconds and advanced to the Semi-Finals. Also advancing was the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association’s career money-earning leader Lisa Lockhart of Oelrichs, South Dakota.

Emily Beisel of Weatherford, Oklahoma, swept the barrel racing in Bracket 1 of the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo’s ProRodeo Tournament. Beisel rode Ivory on Fire (Liza) to win round two in 16.39 seconds after winning round one with 16.65 on Namgis D33 (Chongo.) FWSSR photo by James Phifer

Contestants become part of the 56-member tournament field in three ways: being among the top-ranked athletes from the 2025 and early 2026 season, winning the FWSSR Rookie Rally or winning one of the seven nearby 2025 rodeos (Weatherford, Waxahachie, Cleburne, Gladewater, Mineral Wells or Denton).

Jacob Daniell of Cisco, Texas, took advantage of the tournament slot he earned through the Ellis County Livestock Show & Rodeo in Waxahachie. Daniell won round two of the steer wrestling with a time of 4.3 seconds. He was third in round one with a 4.7 and advanced to the Semi-Finals along with round one winner Joe Nelson of Watford City, North Dakota.

Steer wrestler Jacob Daniell of Cisco, Texas, made the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo’s ProRodeo Tournament by winning the Ellis County Fair & Rodeo in Waxahachie last summer. His time of 4.3 seconds won round two and he also placed third in round one to advance to the Semi-Finals.
FWSSR photo by James Phifer

Former world champion Shelby Boisjoli-Meged, a native of Calgary, Canada, roped a spot in the Semi-Finals by roping consistently. She clocked two times of 2.2 seconds, taking second in round one and tying for the win with Hannah Giger of Wilburton, Oklahoma, in round two.

Former world champion breakaway roper Shelby Boijoli-Meged advanced to the Semi-Finals of the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo’s ProRodeo Tournament with two runs of 2.2 seconds. She placed second in round one and tied for first in round two with Hannah Giger of Wilburton, Okla.
FWSSR photo by James Phifer

Contestants in each bracket compete in two rounds of back-to-back action with the top two money earners in each event advancing to the Semi-Finals. The top four from each Semi-Finals move on to Championship Saturday, February 7.

The third highest money winner in each bracket advances to the wild card round. The top two in the wild card round also go to the Semi-Finals.

Bracket 2 of the FWSSR ProRodeo Tournament starts Sunday at 2 p.m. in Dickies Arena.

FORT WORTH, Texas — The following are unofficial results round two of Bracket 1 at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo’s ProRodeo Tournament, January 24, 2026.

Bareback Riding: 1, Jacob Lees, Caldwell, Idaho, 89.5 points on Brookman Rodeo’s Lunatic Heaven, $2,518. 2, Orin Larsen, Inglis, Manitoba, Canada, 88.5, $1,918. 3, Leighton Berry, Weatherford, Texas, 85, $1,518. 4, (tie) Taylor Broussard, Estherwood,

La., and Myles Carlson, Evanston, Wyo., 83, $580 each. Semi-Finals qualifiers: Lees and Berry. Wild Card qualifier: Larsen.

Steer Wrestling: 1, Jacob Daniell, Cisco, Texas, 4.3 seconds, $2,518. 2, Tyler Scheevel, Lester Prairie, Minn., 4.6, $1,918. 3, Colin Fox, Manvel, Texas, 4.7, $1,518. 4, Gary Gilbert, Paradise, Texas, 5.0, $1,018. Semi-Finals qualifiers: Daniell and Joe Nelson, Watford City, N.D. Wild Card qualifier: Scheevel.

Breakaway roping: 1, (tie) Shelby Boisjoli-Meged, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and Hannah Giger, Wilburton, Okla., 2.2, $2,218 each. 3, Summer Williams, Mineral Wells, Texas, 3.1, $1,518 each. 4, (tie) Tiffany Schieck, Floresville, Texas, and Erin Johnson, Fowler, Colo., 3.6, $580 each. Semi-Finals qualifiers: Boijoli-Meged and Williams. Wild Card qualifier: Rylee George, Oakdale, Calif.

Saddle bronc riding: 1, Darcy Radel, Injune, Queensland, Australia, 87.5 points on Korkow Rodeos’ Me Mojo, $2,542. 2, Traylin Martin, Faith, S.D., 86, $1,942. 3, Allen Boore, Axtell, Utah, 83, $1,542. 4, Mitch Pollock, Twin Falls, Idaho, 82.5, $1,042. Semi-Finals qualifiers: Radel and Boore. Wild Card qualifier: Jake Finlay, Goondiwindi, Queensland, Australia.

Tie-Down Roping: 1, John Douch, Huntsville, Texas, 8.6, $2,625. 3, Ace Reese, Aquilla, Texas, 10.0, $2,025. 3, Cash Enderli, Liberty, Texas, 14.4, $1,625. 4, Hunter Herrin, Apache, Okla., 19.0, $1,125. Semi-Finals qualifiers: Douch and Herrin. Wild Card qualifier: Cash Enderli.

Team Roping: 1, Cody Snow, Los Olivos, Calif., and Hunter Koch, Vernon, Texas, 4.0 seconds, $2,575 each. 2, Kolby Krieger, Fredericktown, Mo., and Michael Fortenberry, 5.2, $1,975. 3, Dawson and Dillon Graham, Wainwright, Alberta, Canada, 4.8 seconds, $1,575 each. 4, Colby Lovell and Ty Arnold, Midway, Texas, 10.7, $1,075 each. Semi-Finals qualifiers: Graham and Graham, Snow and Koch. Wild Card qualifiers: Lovell and Arnold.

Barrel Racing: 1, Emily Beisel, Weatherford, Okla., 16.39, $2,518. 2, Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., 16.57, $1,918. 3, Sharon Gow, Roseburg, Ore., 16.68, $1,518. 4, Cassidy Deen, Wills Point, Texas, 16.91, $1,018. Semi-Finals qualifiers: Beisel and Lockhart. Wild Card qualifier: Stephanie Fryar, Waco, Texas.

Bull Riding: (one ride) 1, Braxton Whitesell, Walker, La., 84.5 points on Rafter G Rodeo’s Peaky Blinders, $7,400. Semi-Finals qualifiers: Whitesell and Trevor Reiste, Linden, Iowa. Wild Card qualifier: Thayne Elshere, Sturgis, S.D

PROVIDED COURTESY OF JOHNA CRAVENS FOR FORT WORTH STOCK SHOW & RODEO TO TENN TEXAS MEDIA